Selectable configuration for uplink acknowledgement resources

Abstract

A carrier ( 21 ) is configured for communication between a communication device ( 100 ) and a cellular network. A configuration of the carrier ( 21 ) is selected. The configuration defines radio resources which are reserved for transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions from the communication device ( 100 ) to the cellular network. Further, a selection between a first subconfiguration and a second subconfiguration is performed. In the first subconfiguration the reserved radio resources are configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions. In the second subconfiguration the reserved radio resources are not configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions.

1 . A method of controlling communication in a cellular network, the method comprising:
 a communication device configuring a carrier for communication with the cellular network;   the communication device selecting a configuration of the carrier, the configuration defining radio resources which are reserved for transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions from the communication device to the cellular network; and   the communication device selecting between:
 a first subconfiguration in which the reserved radio resources are configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions, and 
 a second subconfiguration in which the reserved radio resources are not configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the uplink transmissions are on a further carrier.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the further carrier is in an unlicensed frequency band.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein said selecting between the first subconfiguration and the second subconfiguration is performed depending on activation or deactivation of the uplink transmissions on the further carrier.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 ,
 in response to the uplink transmissions on the further carrier being deactivated, the communication device selecting the second subconfiguration.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , comprising:
 in response to the uplink transmissions on the further carrier being activated, the communication device selecting the first subconfiguration.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the carrier is a time-division duplex carrier and transmission on the carrier is organized in radio frames which are each subdivided to subframes, and   wherein the configuration of the carrier defines, for each radio frame, one or more of the subframes which are assigned to a downlink direction from the cellular network to the communication device and/or one or more of the subframes which are assigned to an uplink direction from the communication device to the cellular network.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , comprising:
 in response to all subframes of the radio frame being assigned to the downlink direction, the communication device selecting the second subconfiguration.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 the communication device receiving control information from the cellular network, and   depending on the control information, the communication device selecting the second subconfiguration.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein in the second subconfiguration the reserved radio resources are configured for transmission of other data than acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions from the communication device to the cellular network.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein said other data comprise control information from the cellular network.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein said control information indicates activation or deactivation of transmission on the carrier in an upcoming time period.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein said cellular network comprises a macro cell and multiple small cells located within a coverage region of the macro cell, and   wherein said control information indicates whether a coverage region of the small cell which serves the communication on the carrier has overlap with a coverage region of one or more others of the small cells.   
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling communication in a cellular network, the method comprising:
 a node of the cellular network configuring a carrier for communication with a communication device;   the node selecting a configuration of the carrier, the configuration defining radio resources which are reserved for transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions from the communication device to the cellular network; and
 the node selecting between:
 a first subconfiguration in which the reserved radio resources are configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions, and 
 a second subconfiguration in which the reserved radio resources are not configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the uplink transmissions are on a further carrier.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the further carrier is in an unlicensed frequency band.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein said selecting between the first subconfiguration and the second subconfiguration is performed depending on activation or deactivation of the uplink transmissions on further carrier.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 ,
 in response to the uplink transmissions on the further carrier being deactivated, the node selecting the second subconfiguration.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising:
 in response to the uplink transmissions on the further carrier being activated, the node selecting the first subconfiguration.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the carrier is a time-division duplex carrier and transmission on the carrier is organized in radio frames which are each subdivided to subframes, and   wherein the configuration of the carrier defines, for each radio frame, one or more of the subframes which are assigned to a downlink direction from the cellular network to the communication device and/or one or more of the subframes which are assigned to an uplink direction from the communication device to the cellular network.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , comprising:
 in response to all subframes of the radio frame being assigned to the downlink direction, the node selecting the second subconfiguration.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 14 , comprising:
 the node sending control information to the communication device, the control information indicating the selected subconfiguration.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein in the second subconfiguration the reserved radio resources are configured for transmission of other data than acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions from the communication device to the cellular network.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 ,
 wherein said other data comprise control information from the cellular network.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein said control information indicates activation or deactivation of transmission on the carrier in an upcoming time period.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein said cellular network comprises a macro cell and multiple small cells located within a coverage region of the macro cell, and   wherein said control information indicates whether a coverage region of the small cell which serves the communication on the carrier has overlap with a coverage region of one or more others of the small cells.   
     
     
         27 . A communication device, comprising:
 a radio interface for connecting to a cellular network; and   a processor,   the processor being configured to:   configure a carrier for communication with the cellular network,
 select a configuration of the carrier, the configuration defining radio resources which are reserved for transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions from the communication device to the cellular network, and 
 select between:
 a first subconfiguration in which the reserved radio resources are configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions, and 
 a second subconfiguration in which the reserved radio resources are not configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions. 
 
   
     
     
         28 . A node for a cellular network, the node comprising:
 a radio interface for connecting to a communication device; and   a processor,   the processor being configured to:   configure a carrier for communication with the communication device,
 select a configuration of the carrier, the configuration defining radio resources which are reserved for transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions from the communication device to the cellular network, and 
 select between:
 a first subconfiguration in which the reserved radio resources are configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions, and 
 a second subconfiguration in which the reserved radio resources are not configured for said transmission of acknowledgements concerning uplink transmissions.